Many thyroid patients who are trying to lose weight turn to my book, The Thyroid Diet, for help. The Thyroid Diet explains how to optimize your thyroid treatment so you stop gaining, or at least get in the right state to lose weight -- and then, you learn what actually needs to be done to start losing. As many of us have learned the hard way, if your thyroid is not being fully and effectively treated, even the best diet and exercise program in the world isn't going to work. Maximizing thyroid treatment, balancing hormones and the endocrine system, how thyroid patients can increase a slow metabolism, and determining what to eat to lose weight are all the focus of the Thyroid Diet.

I've rarely met a thyroid patient who had success on high-carb approaches (the old low-fat approach, loaded with pasta and rice, which was so popular in the 1990s). Myself included. Nor have I found that many thyroid patients do well on an "all you can eat" steak and bacon low-carb diet that had no calorie or fat restrictions. (Doesn't work for me!) In the Thyroid Diet, I recommend that thyroid patients consider a low-glycemic (low-sugar) diet that limits carbohydrates overall, emphasizes "good" carbs (vegetables primarily) -- but WITH calorie and fat limits.

I have guidelines in the Thyroid Diet to help you determine if you are carb-sensitive, calorie-sensitive, or both -- many thyroid patients are -- and how to translate that into good dietary choices that will allow you to lose weight.

But if you need a detailed, structured, ongoing program, with weeks of extensive menus and recipes, then there is a natural next step: The South Beach Diet. South Beach is a healthy diet, based on eating the right carbs and right fats, and it's not difficult to follow. Now, five years after it was launched, the diet's founder, cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston, has come out with a new and expanded version, The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life.

The book talks about how to rev up the metabolism, in healthy ways, and includes easy to follow fitness recommendations that help you lose weight faster and end plateaus. I've gotten an advance copy of this new South Beach Diet Supercharged, and I have to say, it's energized me to get on track this Spring and really clean up my eating. It's truly not hard to follow, and it's effective, and it works perfectly with The Thyroid Diet approach.

I also believe that we need to incorporate exercise. And if I had to recommend a particular fitness approach for thyroid patients, it would have to be T-Tapp. I'm going to profile T-Tapp fully in my next issue, but let me just say that it's my opinion that this exercise program, founded by Teresa Tapp, an exercise physiologist/rehabilitative trainer, is simply THE best general exercise program for thyroid patients.

It doesn't matter if you're overweight and out of shape -- you can do T-Tapp, and get results, and get them quickly, without landing yourself in bed for two days after exercising! I've done Pilates and yoga for a number of years, but I have never had the rapid results -- in terms of inch loss and flexibility -- and without pain! -- that I've had through T-Tapp. I lost 3 inches in my waist alone after just one week of T-Tapp -- and that was four 45-minute sessions. (And even though I'm not athletic in the slightest, even from the start, I never feel exhausted, incapacitated or sore after T-Tapp -- as I have after other workouts). If you want to get started with T-Tapp, I highly recommend the T-Tapp Total Workout DVD. (But if you have more to lose, any physical issues like back problems, or you're older, you should start with the T-Tapp More program, which is a gentler program that eases you into T-Tapp safely.) Or, if you want to familiarize yourself with T-Tapp and get started, you can get the book, "Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes," in which Teresa Tapp walks you through her signature T-Tapp workout, and teaches you how to "use your body as a machine so you can lose inches quick, build bone density, and condition your heart, all with only 8 repetitions and no equipment." Each book includes a free DVD with bonus exercises, plus a 30% coupon for a T-Tapp purchase.

Check out this Youtube video of T-Tapp:

Right now, I'm taking Glucomannan before each meal. It's dietary fiber from the root of the konjac plant, and it comes in a capsule. It has benefits in terms of balancing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, and in creating a feeling of fullness. I know for me, it makes me feel full when I take it, so I can cut back on my intake. I'm also taking cinnamon with each meal. Cinammon is thought to reduce blood sugar levels, increase natural production of insulin and lower cholesterol levels. You can read more about cinnamon as a diet and weight loss ait at http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/cinnamon.htm online. I also am using FucoThin, a supplement made of fucoxanthin, a derivative of brown seaweed, that has reported fat-burning properties. You can read more about Fucothin / fucoxanthin for diet and weight loss online.

And finally, we need to keep it all together and stay on track. And for that, I rely on Dr. Steven Gurgevich's Self-Hypnosis Diet. It's a great, relaxing, and very effective way to make sure that my desire to lose weight translates into action -- eating well, exercising and taking care of myself. Pop in a CD, listen, and it helps shore up your motivation and desire to do the right thing!

So, to recap--here is what my Spring 2008 Thyroid Diet and Fitness Program looks -- along with links so you can get started too!

	The Thyroid Diet To keep my thyroid and metabolism optimized. Click here to get a copy from Amazon.com or at the discounted price of $8 from Iherb.com
	The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life To help stay on track with a low-glycemic, healthy diet approach. (Click here to get a copy from Amazon.com).
	T-Tapp Total Workout DVD Comprehensive exercise program for flexibility, metabolism and fitness. Get the T-Tapp Total Workout now (or if you have more to lose, more candles on the cake, or more physical limitations, try the T-Tapp More workout.
	T-Tapp Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes Book/DVD An introduction to T-Tapp approach, including a basic exercise program on DVD. You can get a copy at Amazon.com
	Glucomannan I take this supplement before each meal. It's dietary fiber from the root of the konjac plant, and it comes in a capsule. It has benefits in terms of balancing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, and in creating a feeling of fullness -- which can help reduce appetite. I like Nature's Way, Glucomannan Root
	Cinnamon Cinammon is thought to reduce blood sugar levels, increase natural production of insulin and lower cholesterol levels. I take this supplement with each meal. You can read more about cinnamon as a diet and weight loss aid here. My favorite brand is New Chapter, Cinnamon Force Softgels
	Fucothin I like Garden of Life brand FucoThin (no extra kelp or iodine added), which I get from Iherb.com (Garden of Life, FucoThin, Non-Stimulant Thermogenic, 90 Softgels )
	The Self-Hypnosis Diet: CD Set To help get into the right mindset, and stay on track with diet, exercise, supplements, this CD set is simply indispensible. Click here if you'd like to get it from Amazon.com

Even if you introduce just one or two of these things, it could be the change that finally transforms your diet into a successful "losing" proposition!!